'Tis one to me. "Then tell us pray, "When are the troops to have their pay ?" And though I folemnly declare 100 I know no more than my lord-mayor, 105 My choiceft hours of life are loft; Those cares that haunt the court and town! 101. Jurantem me fcire nibil, mirantur, ut unum Scilicet egregii mortalem altique filenti. 108. O rus, quando ego te afpiciam, quandoque licebit Nunc veterum libris, nunc fomno, et inertibus hor Ducere follicita jucunda oblivia vite? * THE HAPPY LIFE OF A COUNTRY PARSON. In Imitation of MARTIAL. PARSON, these things in thy poffeffing Toaft Toast church and queen, explain the news, * A TALE OF CHAUCER. Lately found in an Old Manufcript. WOMEN, though nat fans leacherie, fwinken but with fecrecie : This in our tale is plain y-fond, But, But, as he gloz'd with speeches foote, The ducke fore tickleth his erfe roote: Fore-piece and buttons all to-brest, Forth thruft a white neck and red creft. Te-he, cry'd ladies; clerke nought fpake; Mifs ftar'd; and gray ducke crieth quaake. "O moder, moder, (quoth the daughter) "Be thilke fame thing maids longen a'ter? "Bette is to pyne on coals and chalke, "Then trust onmon, whofe yerde cantalke. IN *THE ALLEY. An Imitation of SPENCER. I. N ev'ry town where Thamis rolls his tide A narrow pass there is, with houses low; Where ever and anon the ftream is ey'd, And many a boat soft fliding to and fro: Thereoft are heard the notes of infant woe, The short thick fob, loud fcream, and fhriller fquall: How can ye, mothers, vex your children fo? Some play, fome eat, fome cack against the wall, And, as they crouchen low, for bread and butter call. II. And II. And on the broken pavement here and there by; And here a failor's jacket hangs to dry; At ev'ry door are fun-burnt matrons feen, Mending old nets to catch the scaly fry; Nowfinging fhrill,and fcolding oft between; Scolds anfwer foul-mouth'd fcolds; bad neighbourhood, I ween. III. The fnappifh cur (the paffengers annoy) Close at my heel with yelping treble flies; The whimp'ring girl and hoarfer-fcreaming boy Join to the yelping treble fhrilling cries; The fcolding quean to louder notes doth rife, And her full pipes thofe fhrilling cries confound; To her full pipes the grunting hog replies; The grunting hogs alarm the neighbours round, And curs, girls, boys, and fcolds, in the deep base are drown'd. IV. |